The Crucifixion of Nonviolence
"Crucifixion" by Freddy Dendoktoor During the past couple of weeks, I’ve been reading various articles and books on the Anabaptist movement and descendants of the Radical Reformation. The Radical Reformation took place at the same time as the magisterial reformation (Calvinists, Lutherans, etc.) but articulated different ideas and practices the church got wrong. The radical reformers died for their beliefs in: a separation between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world, not swearing oaths, adult baptism (anabaptist = to baptize again), living a Christo-centric life, evangelizing, and reclaiming the first century church structures. [1] What has drawn me to this stream of Christianity is the emphasis on nonviolence and pacifism. Pacifism isn’t passivity. Walter Wink, a thinker much referenced by modern anabaptists, sees pacifism as “militant nonviolence articulated by Jesus”, or “the third way”. [2] For example, after explaining that resisting an evildoer (Matt. 5